Policies concerning Regional Innovation Systems (RIS) and clusters haverecently been widely accepted and applied in most of the countries in the world.Previous research on RISs and innovation clusters argues that real RISs orinnovation clusters are defined by network-based learning taking place throughinteractions within embedded regions. There are few cases of such RISs orinnovation clusters in Korea, however, so government policies have tried toartificially 'build' networks in regions through financial investment. However,efforts to simply imitate and apply systems from leading countries to the Koreancase without making any necessary modifications haveoften ignored, or providedonly limited interpretation of Korea's unique system of competitiveness, led bylarge companies such as Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor Company, and LGElectronics.In order to create fruitful outcomes from RIS-related policies, it is importantto examine regional differences and to mobilize distinctive plans of problemsolvingfor each region. RISs and clusters are diverse in their sizes, networks,R&D investment, and the ratio of innovative products contained within them, andpolicies based on one ideal type and one best practice are hardly successful. Thisresearch includes the analyses of example RISs in Korea, and the exploration ofeach region's developmental paths, which in turn reflect their own regional characteristics. The purpose of this effort is to highlight feasible policy recommendations that will be able to bring about desirable outcomes.